


Rising Tides

by orphan_account



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Hostage Situations, Pirates, Pre-Third War (Warcraft)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-04-12 09:01:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19128829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: With her ship battered beyond the repair of her crew, her food and water supplies dwindling, and a price on her head in both Quel'thalas and Lordaeron, Captain Sylvanas Windrunner must resort to dangerous means to ensure the survival of her crew and herself. Dangerous means such as kidnapping the daughter of the Lord Admiral of Kul Tiras, who also happens to be courting the same man who caused her to lose her precious reputation within her homeland.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my beta readers: Katzenjammers, brazenedMinstrel, and szept! You guys helped so much, thank you!
> 
> Another shout out to wolfandwild, who named this fic!
> 
> Rating and chapter count subject to change.

"Jaina, it would take you a week to not only sail all the way to the Eastern Kingdoms, but to then make your way north to Dalaran. And might I add, that is being very generous with my estimates." 

Daelin Proudmoore watched as his daughter set down her fork, clearly annoyed with the discussion. Though she had been raised as royalty and was even romantically involved with the Prince of Lordaeron, the girl hardly seemed to chew her food thoroughly as she opened her mouth to reply. Her mother, however, did not allow a word to escape her daughter's mouth as she grabbed Jaina's chin and started to meticulously wipe away the food that she had spilled on her face. Jaina, patient as ever, hurriedly pulled away from her mother with a soft whine. She snatched up a napkin of her own and mopped her face, doing naught more than smearing the food that was already there. Her mother relented, simply giving her a disapproving gaze as she sat back in her seat. 

"Your father is right, you know. It would take no more than a minute to open a portal directly to the Violet Citadel. You could even make multiple trips to bring all of your belongings."

Jaina huffed and rolled her eyes, taking another indelicately large bite of her food. She understood the concerns of her parents, naturally, as the entire family was still recovering from the loss of her elder brother. Derek had always been ten times the sailor that Jaina could ever hope to be, much to her everlasting disdain, and even he had lost his life during a cannon fire exchange with an orc ship. As much as both her parents cherished the seas, they loved their children more, and would be damned if they allowed anything to ever happen to either her or her younger brother, Tandred. 

"And you could bring me!" Speak of the devil. Jaina glimpsed over to her brother, sighing softly as she saw how wide his cerulean eyes had grown at the idea of seeing Dalaran in person. "And then, when we're all done going 'round the city, you can just open another portal and whoosh! I'll be back home in no time!" 

Jaina had to think for a moment to find a way to escape this plan. "I really only have the reserves to open one portal every day," she finally said, for once feeling grateful for her lack of magical abilities. Tandred, however, only seemed to light up further after she'd said that.

"I can spend the night!"

Shit. How in the world was she supposed to deny him when he was giving her what could only be described as the most devastating look in the world? His already large eyes were as wide as they could get, his little nose stuck up in the air, his bottom lip pushed out far... Tandred knew that he was cute, and was clearly using it to his advantage. On top of all of that, Jaina could remember what it was like to be eight years old and look up to her older sibling. Derek had been the light of her life, the stars in her skies, astonishing her with every little thing he did. Though he was only seventeen, he had already proven himself to be an incredible sailor, capable of taking on the extremities of the seas. She had taken to calling him Lord Admiral, his future title, by the time she had turned five.

She could hardly imagine how she looked in the eyes of Tandred Proudmoore. Their age gap was slightly larger, as she was going on twenty, which likely only served to make her seem even more divine to the boy. And she was the only member of their family who had any sort of a grasp on magic; good enough for her to have been personally invited to study under the archmages in Dalaran.

He probably thought she was a god.

Jaina sighed softly and reached to run her fingers through his silky blond hair. Just as she was about to relent, an idea popped into her head. Oh, if she could pull this off, there was no way their parents could deny them this.

"You know, we could sail together," she offered, giving the very tip of his nose a soft tap before she pulled her hand back to herself. From the corner of her eye, she could see how her parents stiffened. "Just the two of us. We could picnic on the deck every day and slumber beneath the stars every night. I could give you a few more lessons in sailing. And then, when I've finished giving you the grand tour of Dalaran, I can simply open a portal and you can whoosh back home." Perhaps it was cheating to use the same childlike language that he had, but Jaina hardly cared. She needed to have her boat nearby, lest she go mad with all the studying she will have to do in Dalaran. Sure, she could always open a portal home to sail, but sometimes she just needed to be by herself. She knew that none of her family, her brother especially, would leave her alone whenever she visited. 

The blue in his eyes shone brighter as the face that had previously been threatening Jaina's endurance suddenly snapped towards their parents. Jaina merely offered her mother and father an apologetic grin from behind the boy as they shot her a glare and a look of exasperation, respectively. Finally, after a moment of silence save for the excited bounce of Tandred's legs, Daelin shut his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and huffed a sigh. "Very well."

The impact of his words was instant as Tandred sprung up from his seat with a cheer. He narrowly avoided crashing into the table multiple times as he did a dance in celebration, and Jaina fondly wondered what in the world she had gotten herself into. From the look that her mother gave her, she knew that she was in for multiple discussions on how to properly watch over her brother.

-

“-not to mention the state of the ship. Our goblin… associate is working the best she can to fix it now, though I doubt it will be up to its original condition.” Nathanos scowled as he took a swig of his beer. He set it down on the table and tore off a piece of the roasted goose in front of him before feeding it to one of the dogs sitting at his feet.

Sylvanas eyed Furst as he devoured the food. She could have scoffed; both of her first mate’s dogs were fed plenty and did naught more than laze about all day under the sun, yet they both always acted starved. Annoying as they could be though, Furst and Archie helped calm her nerves as she considered their options. 

Two years ago, had someone told her that her shitty boat with a crew of less than fifteen would become the waking terror of the seas, she would have spat in that person’s face for mocking her. Today, however, people feared her. They feared her crew, which had swiftly grown in numbers. They feared her ship, which had undergone multiple upgrades and hardly looked like the same ship she’d started with. They feared _her_ , Sylvanas Windrunner, the Banshee Queen of the Seas. 

So they attacked her.

She and her crew had fought back. Usually, it was no problem, and Sylvanas and her crew had been able to overcome every obstacle thrown their way. However, it had gotten to the point where she had become a threat to the kingdoms of the eastern continents. They sent ships after her and more often than not, the elf had a fair price on her head. She had been lucky enough to be able to settle in an inn in Stromguard, though it did mean that her ship was a few miles down the coast. Further than her comfort, but she and her crew needed a place to settle for the time being as their resident goblin, Ciarci, worked to fix the most recent damage dealt to her ship. 

They needed money. Though she had managed to put away a good deal, her savings were quickly being drained by the regular repair expenses as well as the cost of food, freshwater, payment for her crew, and anything else they wanted or needed when spending months at sea. Sacking small towns was no longer cutting it.

“What do you suggest?” She finally asked, pulling her gaze off of Furst to look at Nathanos instead. From the years she’d known him, he was a proud man, often refusing to admit when he was wrong. The look on his face now was different than she’d seen before, though.

“I… am not sure,” he admitted, looking pained to say so. “Only looting villages and small towns is not sustainable for our crew in the long run, but we already have a target on our backs. There would be no way to attack a city without being immediately slaughtered.”

Furst whined at his feet and Nathanos tore his eyes off of Sylvanas long enough to glance down to his dog. “Already?” He growled, and quickly stood. “If you’ll excuse me, my Lady, this asshole must relieve himself.”

His tone was enough to pull Sylvanas’s lips into a small, tight smile, and she waved him away.

Archie sighed as he allowed himself to be led outside with his brother and Nathanos. Sylvanas kept her eyes on them until they had left the tavern. This was hopeless. She needed a big heist, something huge that also allowed her to stay far away from any kingdoms that already searched for her. 

Her thoughts were cut off by two human men, both visibly drunk, stumbling up to her table. One of them knocked on the wood, as though knocking on a door, and drew Sylvanas’s attention up to their faces. They both wore grins that took up their entire faces, and the taller one leaned against the shorter. 

“Settle an argument for us,” the shorter one slurred, his voice thick with a Stromguard accent. Had Sylvanas not already spent a few nights within the city, it may have been impossible to understand him. As it was, she needed a moment to comprehend his garbled words.

“Must I?” The men seemed to find her question utterly hilarious, as they both laughed loudly. 

“Ye-” A hiccup. “-Yeah. Yeah, c’mon! Elves know things, right?” 

 _Debatable for the population at large_ , Sylvanas thought dryly, but said nothing. “What’d’ye think of the Lord Admiral letting his daughter and son sail to Dalaran? D’ya think it’s a good idea?”

“The Lord Admiral?” Sylvanas tilted her head slightly, her ears perking up.

The men nodded. “Of Kul Tiras. His girl’s s’pposed to study in Dalaran this time next month, and word has it they’re settin’ sail on the 21st a’ this month.”

The 21st. Today, Sylvanas took a second to remember, was the 4th of September, giving her seventeen days to put a plan together. 

She’d done far more work in far less time.

Sylvanas stood with a grin. “I think it’s a wonderful idea,” she purred, then turned and quickly left the tavern. Nathanos was just outside and she grabbed his sleeve, drawing his attention. “Retrieve Laristra for me. I have an idea of how we may make some money, and I must send a message to Garidel to ensure our hideout at Booty Bay will be ready.”

-

Jaina tugged the last of her luggage aboard the ship, not caring enough yet to bring it down to storage. Instead, she stayed topside with Tandred as they got ready to sail.

“I’m just glad you were willing to listen to _some_ logic,” Katherine said to her daughter, a teasing smile on her face. The guards that Jaina had reluctantly agreed to bring were both readying the sloop for its departure, and her mother cast them each a glance. “They’re good men and better sailors.”

“I suppose they’ll do,” Jaina said, sighing softly. That earned a snort of laughter from her mother, who pulled her in for a warm hug.

“Please travel safely, dear. Keep an eye on your brother at all times.”

Jaina nodded as she held Katherine close, trying to provide a comforting rub to her mother’s back. “We’ll be fine, I promise. I can open a portal back to Kul Tiras, you know.”

“I know. I just worry.” Katherine pulled away from the hug after a moment longer and pressed a kiss to Jaina’s cheek before ushering her over to her father.

Daelin pulled her in for a hug as well, though he didn’t keep her close for nearly as long as her mother had. Jaina looked up to him with a soft smile. “Thank you for trusting me enough to let me do this.”

“Well, I can’t just let you forget how to sail while you’re off studying magic. Though I would like it better if I knew Arthas was with you to protect you and your brother.”

“He’s a busy man, Papa. Though he assured me that he would visit me in Dalaran the moment he was able.” Jaina would have continued, but she was cut off by a scream from her brother as he ran towards his sister and their parents.

“Jaina! Jaina!” He launched himself at her and Jaina grunted as she caught him. “I thought of a ship name!”

“What’s that?”

“ _Tandred’s Ship That Is Going On A Trip_ ,” he proudly announced, and Jaina had to force herself not to laugh. Her mother, however, had no such reservations as she did let out a chuckle. 

“I’m sure they’ll be fine, dear,” she said as she took Daelin’s hand in her own.

-

The wood of the ship creaking steadily as the low waves rushed to meet it was what first woke Jaina up. She stayed still for just a few minutes, allowing herself to enjoy the gentle, consistent crashes serenading her. With the calm breeze and the peaceful waves, it took Jaina a little while to realize how quiet it was. She frowned and finally opened her eyes, rolling onto her back as she did. Her poor side ached after four nights of sleeping out on the deck under the stars, but she had promised Tandred that they would.

Her brother still slumbered beside her, buried under his blanket and half of his sister’s, and Jaina let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She’d worried for a moment that something had happened to him, as he was always awake before she was. He tended to wake with the sun, which hadn’t yet risen, and Jaina thanked the Tides that she had a few minutes of peace and quiet before he woke up.

Rocking softly from side to side with the boat as she slowly stood up, Jaina draped the rest of her blanket over Tandred. The boy didn’t stir, lost in his own dreams, as Jaina used the faint glow of the moon and the shine of the stars to navigate her way below the deck.

One of the guards was awake as well, and he regarded her with a polite nod as she rummaged through the stash of books she’d been able to pack. It was hardly a fifth of the literature she owned, but both she and her parents knew that only so much would fit in her assigned room in Dalaran. 

It took a few minutes before Jaina was able to narrow down her choices to two selections. She held them up to the guard, who was still wandering about the lower cabin. “Which should I read today?”

The young man strongly resembled a deer caught in the light of a carriage, making Jaina giggle softly. His eyes darted between the two; the choices being _Wildhammer Book of Verse_ and _Book of Forbidden Magics_. “The… one on the left?” He finally decided, though his answer was quite clearly a question.

“ _Wildhammer Book of Verse_? Good choice,” Jaina said, setting the other book back down into the pile. She stood up from where she’d knelt to ponder her options, absentmindedly running her thumb over the spine of the old Dwarven book. “Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure, Lady Proudmoore.” He bowed deeply, and Jaina noted the slightest bit of relief in his eyes as he stood straight once again. She motioned for him to follow her as she made her way back outside. Tandred still slept, though Jaina knew it wouldn’t be for much longer. The sun would rise soon, and he would with it. 

“Our course shows that we should arrive on the southern shores of Lordaeron the day after next.” She kept her voice hushed, as to not wake her brother. “And I assume that you and our other guardsman have been keeping an eye on the seas.” 

“Of course, my Lady.”

“Anything of interest to report?” Jaina knew the answer, as she’d spent a great deal of her time watching the seas as well, and knew that her guards would have alerted her to any suspicious activities. Still, she couldn’t help but ask. It made her feel like a real captain. 

“No, Lady Proudmoore.” 

Jaina simply nodded in response and took a seat in one of the chairs she’d dragged out to the deck earlier in the week. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she flipped the book open, though glanced at Tandred’s still sleeping form as she did. Dare she try to steal back her blanket from the boy? It was chilly out without the sun to heat her skin, but taking the cover back seemed risky, as she just needed a few minutes of reading in peace and quiet. Deciding against it, Jaina instead forced herself to weather the cold. She was a Kul Tiran, used to the cold; there was no need for a blanket.

The sun rose before Jaina knew it; too engrossed in her poetry to notice. She did notice, however, when Tandred arose not a minute later and, once he had woken up sufficiently enough, dashed over to her. How he managed to build up his energy so quickly, Jaina feared she would never know, but she set her book aside and stood, offering him a smile. 

“Let me guess… you want to jump off the ship and go for a swim?” She scooped him up and set him on the side of the boat as though she were about to throw him off. Tandred giggled, quite used to the game that he and his sister had played the past four mornings aboard the ship. He shook his head. “No?” Jaina asked, pretending to be surprised. One arm remained tightly wound around her brother’s torso, assuring that he wouldn’t actually fall off of the ship as she pressed a finger to her lips and feigned contemplation.

Tandred took pity on his older sister. “It has to do with my tummy,” he said, allowing her a hint. 

Jaina pursed her lips. “Your tummy,” she repeated, pretending to think for another moment. “Oh! Duh.” With a grin, she lifted him up and set him back down on the deck. His face lit up, glad that his sister would _finally_ get him something to eat, but the expression of joy quickly turned to horror as Jaina spoke again. “You want me to tickle you.” 

With a screech far louder than appropriate, Tandred sprinted away from her and down the steps, heading in the direction of the galley. _How clever_ , Jaina thought with a smirk before she took off after him. The few seconds of a head start that Tandred had been allowed was almost instantly overtaken, and Jaina had to force herself to slow down just a bit so they could actually make it to their makeshift kitchen before she caught him. 

It was easy enough to corner Tandred, and Jaina wiggled her fingers as she taunted him. He cried out again, though the anguish in his scream was betrayed by the huge, goofy grin on his lips. “Wait!” He pleaded, holding his hands out. 

“What?” Jaina took a step forward.

“N-No, wait, I can make you a deal.” Tandred’s face suddenly became very serious, and Jaina matched his expression, though she added a playful air in her own. 

“And what would that be?”

“If _I_ make our breakfast, then can you not tickle me?”

Jaina thought for a moment, trying and failing to hold back a smile. “I suppose it depends,” she finally said. “What would you make us?”

“Probably some sammies.”

“A sandwich.” Jaina hummed and leaned closer to Tandred, who pushed himself further back against the walls. Tides, he was getting so big now, almost up to Jaina’s shoulders. For a fleeting moment, she remembered being able to lift him so easily just a few years back, but now it was a bit of a struggle.

Perhaps when she next returned from Dalaran, he would be able to lift her.

She quickly pushed the thought out of her mind, content instead to simply enjoy the moment. “I suppose,” she finally said, standing upright once again. “Though I do request that we use ham. I’m rather sick of fish.”

Excitedly, Tandred nodded, and ducked under Jaina’s arm to get to work.

-

The breakfast was decent, though Jaina had needed to help her brother reach everything. After they’d eaten, Tandred had insisted on playing hide and go seek, to which she had excitedly agreed to. It was a game that she herself had often insisted that Derek play with her whenever he would take her sailing. 

“FIfty-nine… Sixty! Ready or not, here I come!” Jaina called out and paused for a moment to try and hear any sign of Tandred. If he was close by, it was easy enough to find him through his giggling. She had no such luck this time, and was about to check the galley when shouting came from above her.

The shouting was not her brother’s, as she’d gotten used to after days aboard the ship, but that of the guard who had chosen her book that morning. He hardly spoke, let alone yelled, and Jaina could feel her stomach sinking as she hurried up the steps. 

Getting to the top of the stairs was the same, Jaina imagined, as someone walking into the midst of a bar fight. She couldn’t have been below the deck for more than two minutes, yet already arrows covered multiple areas of the deck; their yellow feathers making it look as though painted grass had spontaneously started to grow from the wood. The mainmast was in flames, as was the bowsprit, and the guard who had screamed was desperately shoveling buckets of water at the fire. The other laid not far from Jaina herself, pierced with half a dozen arrows.

The state of the ship left Jaina in utter shock for a few seconds as she processed what in the world was happening, but her shock did not last long as she realized that the sun no longer graced her skin. It had been plenty sunny the last time she was out, and she forced herself to turn her head to see what had blocked it out.

“ _Fuck_ ,” she said, hardly even aware that she’d said it. It wasn’t the cannons, bigger than full grown Kul Tiran men, of the looming, large ship that scared her the most, nor was it the multiple high elvish archers who were bombarding her remaining guard with flaming arrows. No, the lettering on the side of the ship, as tall as Jaina herself, was what gave her the most fright.

“ _T_ _he Banshee’s Wail_ ,” she whispered, then swallowed. “Oh fuck. No…” She took a step back and finally tore her eyes from the ship before darting her head back and forth to find Tandred. She just had to grab him and summon a portal to Boralus. Easy. 

Easy, she told herself again, though the tears that were quickly filling her eyes said otherwise. She quickly wiped them away, unwilling to let blurred vision be the reason that her parents were left childless. “Shit shit shit shit… Tandred!?” She looked around, desperately seeking her brother. “Tandred, please, it’s _the Banshee’s Wail_ , we _need_ to go!”

“Jaina!” Upon hearing her name, Jaina looked around even more frantically, but still couldn’t find her brother. “Up here!” He called after a moment, and ice flooded Jaina’s veins. 

She followed the sound of her voice, looking up until… “Oh no,” she whispered, seeing a mop of blond hair sticking up from the crow’s nest. How in the _fuck_ had he managed to scamper all the way up there? Her father had ensured that the rope ladder typically leading up had been cut down, so this very instance would not occur, but the will of a bored nine year old boy’s was far stronger than that of gravity. Tandred looked down at her, desperation in his wide eyes, and Jaina was struck with the sudden realization of how she needed to spend the only portal she could use that day.

“Jaina! J-” Tandred’s shout was cut off as Jaina opened up a portal underneath him that would lead to Boralus. She hadn’t the energy to focus on where in the city it would take him, but practically anywhere was safer than aboard the ship. He fell through, and Jaina could hear a string of curses from behind her. 

“Cut off her magic, now!” Before she could react, a strong blow from the hilt of a sword slammed into her back, and she hissed through her teeth. She spun around, facing a heavily armored elf, and quickly called upon spears of ice to surround her head. The spell died on her hands, though, as another blow struck her side. She fell to her knees as a cry of pain escaped her lips. “Good.” The deep voice was closer now, and Jaina looked up to see a human man. He had a hound dog on either side of him as he walked towards Jaina, though his bow was not drawn and his sword was in its sheath. 

“Bring her aboard.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to szept and brazenedMinstrel for betaing!
> 
> For now, I plan on updating the fic every Thursday at 4:00pm Chicago time.
> 
> Tumblr: jaina-bimoore

“-aina!” Tandred tumbled through the portal, landing square on his butt. A few bewildered Kul Tirans stared at him in shock while others ran over to help the boy up, but Tandred paid little attention to them as he helplessly watched the portal close over his head. 

No.

_No._

His sister was still behind on the ship. That stupid, dinky little sloop ship that was burning and guardless. She was alone out in the open waters, and had already used up the only portal she had the energy for. On _him_ . Tears welled up in Tandred’s eyes and he didn’t try to stop them as they slipped down his cheeks. She was _alone_ , in the _ocean_ , on a ship that was sinking!

And where was he?

Where _was_ he?

Tandred pulled himself up to his feet without the help of the civilians around him and brushed pebbles out of his hands. They’d cut a little, but that was a problem for later. One of the high priests could easily fix him up. For now, though…

There were docks right in front of him, busy with people filtering in and out of the city. Just to his left was a grand fountain, surrounded by buildings absolutely bustling with people shopping. Fur traders and fishermen called out competitive prices for their goods as the Honor Guards patrolled on their horses. And behind him…

Behind him was the Sanctum of the Sages. Jaina had managed to port him right outside of it, in Tradewinds Market. Tandred took a shaky breath and, without bothering to tell the Kul Tirans checking on him that he fared well, took off.

He dashed up multiple flights of stairs, making his way to the Griffin’s roost before running back down to the city. On any other day, he would climb up the wall that separated the city from the docks to gaze down upon the ships and sea, dreaming of one day captaining his own fleet. Today, however, he focused solely on making his way through the thinning crowds in Dampwick Ward, a part of the city he normally wouldn’t be allowed in. 

He could see why. As he ran, a few men gave him sharp, curious glances from the alleyways. 

Relief soon flooded his core as he made it all the way through Dampwick, though he knew well enough that his journey wasn’t done. He took a sharp right and sprinted to Hook Point, where he took the stairs two at a time before running across the bridge and practically tumbling down the steps on the other end. Breathing deeply, Tandred allowed himself a moment’s rest as he leaned against a fence. 

He knew, however, that he couldn’t rest for long. Every moment he spent catching his breath was another moment that Jaina was pulled closer and closer to danger. That thought alone gave the boy a burst of energy, and he started off again.

Finally, Proudmoore Keep stood proudly in front of him. Tandred didn’t take any time to appreciate the sight as he ran up the stairs, ducking to the left to go to Proudmoore Academy. More often than not, his parents weren’t home during the day, as they were both incredibly busy people. He could always count on the elite guards to know where they were. After one of them pointed him towards Hook Point, where his parents were supposedly doing a bit of grocery shopping, Tandred hardly had time to scream his thanks to the woman before sprinting off again. 

Ellie’s fish booth showed no sign of his parents and Cynthia’s vegetable stand proved fruitless. Only when Tandred made his way further down did he hear his parents’ voices in Ruff Waters. He rushed inside, finding Daelin holding Sir Steve as Katherine fawned over Fitz and Addie.

“-think we could spare to spend more of the budget on these shelters,” Katherine was saying, and Daelin nodded his agreement.

“Stormsong Valley’s had a good season,” he said as he carefully set down Sir Steve. “With the crops flourishing, the people-” He cut himself off as he noticed Tandred jumping up and down, his arms waving like a madman’s to get the attention of his parents that was finally on him.

Katherine stood up cautiously, adjusting her coat as she did. “Tandred,” she said slowly, worry clouding her eyes. “What are you doing back so soon? Did you and Jaina arrive to Dalaran early?”

At the mention of his sister, Tandred finally broke down into tears, even more so than he had when he’d first arrived back in Boralus. The fear, grief, anger, and utter helplessness that he felt could no longer be contained, and his sobs completely stopped him from forming any sort of coherent sentences. 

Daelin hurried over to his son and scooped him up, holding the boy tightly in his arms. Though it looked like a comforting gesture to any outside observer, the Lord Admiral knew that it was partially for himself, to remind himself that Tandred was still there. Tandred was still alive and unharmed. He kept repeating that to himself in his mind, over and over again as Katherine walked over to the father and son and wrapped her arms around the pair. She pressed soft kisses to Tandred’s head until he seemed to finally calm down, only letting out the occasional soft sob or sniff. 

“Tandred,” Daelin said softly once it seemed like his son had managed to stifle his crying. “We won’t be mad at you, I promise. We just want to know where Jaina is.” 

Tandred nodded, pulling his head back so he was able to see both of his parents. He wiped a few stray tears from his face before delving into the tale. 

-

On the positive side, the ship’s fires had gone out.

On the negative side, they had gone out because _The Banshee’s Wail_ had fired their cannons the moment that Jaina was on board, requiring a measly two shots to do the trick. She had insisted on watching it sink, and had even gone as far as to refuse to walk on her own until it was completely submerged, just to ensure that her brother was no longer on it. The thought filled her with more dread than she’d ever felt in her life, even after Derek’s passing, and she had practically aged in reverse until her captors had granted her wish. She’d fallen to the ground, sobbed, and hit at the spellbreakers trying to lift her until one of them turned to the human with the dogs.

“Nathanos, let’s allow her this. Captain Windrunner will not be pleased to see the Lady in such a… state.” 

He had simply muttered “fine” in response, leaving Jaina to ponder where in the world she had heard the name Windrunner before as she kept her eyes glued on the crow’s nest. No sign of Tandred showed, and she saw that it was empty when the ship had finally sunk enough to let her glimpse inside. Still, she stayed, watching as she ship sunk fully.

Even once it had, she did not move until a gloved hand wrapped around her forearm and gave a sharp tug. “Captain Windrunner has waited long enough,” a gruff voice growled, and Jaina quickly found that she already disliked this Nathanos man more than anyone else on this Light-forsaken ship. She huffed a sigh, not agreeing to his demand yet not resisting as he pulled her to the captain’s quarters.

That damned name… Windrunner. Jaina swore to herself that she’d heard it before, though she could not possibly place where. Racist as the thought could be, she couldn’t help but notice that so many elvish surnames sounded alike. The name Windrunner was no different than Breezesprinter, or Paleblossom, or Grasshopper. 

Despite the fact that she absolutely refused to show it, Jaina found that she was terrified. There were two spellbreakers - one on either side of her - ensuring that Jaina wouldn’t get a single word of a spell out before they stopped her. There were elvish rangers all around her, eyeing her in various discomforting ways, and a goblin strutting around the deck who wore naught more than a bra and _very_ tight-fitting trousers. The human walking in front of her stopped abruptly in front of a rather grand door, his huge dogs stopping with him, and Jaina remembered what she feared most.

-

“The Banshee Queen of the Seas,” Katherine whispered, no longer standing in Ruff Waters. The three had made their way back to Proudmoore Keep hastily the moment Tandred had mentioned _The Banshee’s Wail_. The boy was held close by his father, resting comfortably in his arms, as his mother paced the corridor. “The Banshee Queen of the Seas,” she repeated, “attacked your ship and-” She stopped herself, not wanting to say what they were all thinking. Tandred could feel the tears well up in his eyes, and quickly pushed away the thoughts of being an only child from now on.

“It would be quite unwise,” Daelin replied. “She has attacked dozens of port cities in every nation of the Eastern Kingdoms - excluding Quel’thalas. Were we not already focusing so much attention on the orc threats, she and her crew would be long dead. As is, she has a target on her back, and harming the children of the Lord Admiral of Kul Tiras-”

“How was she to know?” Katherine hissed, ceasing her pacing so she could look at her husband instead. “There were four people - one being but a child - upon a measly sloop. She likely saw it as an easy target to steal supplies from!” 

A tense moment passed in which Daelin and Katherine merely stared at one another, and Tandred could only hear the beating of his own heart. Finally, his father spoke, his voice forcibly calm. “I am not saying that her… passing is not a possibility. I am simply saying that it is not the _only_ possibility. We would be fools to give up hope.”

“And we would be fools to believe that finding her would be simple. We do not know her coordinates, so we cannot merely open a portal to find her, and a great deal of our navy is helping King Wrynn reclaim-”

“They didn’t shoot Jaina,” Tandred mumbled, realizing suddenly that while the elvish crew had very deliberately shot down their guards, they had not struck him or his sister, even as she had summoned a portal for him. He withdrew his head from where it had been buried in his father’s shoulder, his reddened eyes wide with the abrupt epiphany. “They- they killed Mr. Sampson and Mr. Hastings, but they didn’t try ‘ta shoot me or Jaina.” 

Daelin and Katherine exchanged a glance - one filled with desperation and relief - before Tandred was hugged tightly by his father and handed off to his mother before he could even attempt to hug back. “Very well,” Daelin said, determination hardening his already stern features. “I will hail Stormwind and Stromguard at once, and see what can be done.”

-

Jaina found herself relieved that she had chosen not to wear one of the blouses that left her midriff bare as she was crudely shoved into a chair, the back of which would surely  have scraped up her own. As it were, it got caught on her dress as she sat upright. Indignantly she huffed and brushed off her skirt before glaring at the elf sitting across the desk from her. 

Though she was tall for an elf, Jaina found that she did not look nearly as horrifying as the tales had portrayed her. She had heard only horror stories of this woman, who came to small port towns in the shelter of night and would depart at daybreak, leaving naught more than burning rubble. She slaughtered those who dared stand in her way and allowed survivors to flee to tell the tale of what they’d seen. She took and took and took, not allowing anyone who fled to leave with food and water, let alone their valuables. Perhaps that sapphire pendant that hung around her neck had belonged to another before her.

“ _Bal’a dash, dalah’surfal_ ,” she said, a smirk on her lips that was impossible not to notice. Jaina pulled her attention off of the necklace and met her stormy blue eyes instead. “Is it correct that you managed to summon a portal for the boy?”

“Tandred?” Jaina frowned and blinked, confused by how calm the woman was. When she’d heard of the Banshee Queen of the Seas, she certainly had expected far more… anger. “Y-Yes, I ported him back to safety. Where you and your menacing crew may ne-” She was cut off as the woman waved her gloved hand in a dismissive manner and looked above Jaina to Nathanos.

“What a shame,” she sighed. “I suppose our ransom must be reduced. Does three million gold pieces sound fair, Marris?” 

“Yes, my Queen.”

“Ransom?!” Jaina leaned forward in the seat, noticing the shifting of the spellbreakers from the corner of her eye. “All of this - _killing_ my guards, _sinking_ my ship, and _ruining_ my books was so you could have more fucking money?!” She stood quickly, her eyes glowing a sharp blue. The elf in front of her looked simply bored, though, as the spellbreaker to Jaina’s right roughly forced her to sit back down in her seat. 

“Are you done with your temper tantrum, _dalah’surfal_?” Jaina gritted her teeth at the flirtatious language, said to her in an absolutely condescending manner, but she gave a stiff nod nonetheless. “Good girl. Allow me to explain. My ship has recently had a target on its back and has been the victim of many attacks, and it seems that no matter how many towns we pillage, what we gather is simply not enough to stay afloat, as it were.”

“That’s your own fault,” Jaina cut in, crossing her arms.

She simply continued on, as though Jaina had not said anything. “We finally decided to make a big move, and kidnapping you and your brother seemed like it would pay plenty so we could make the repairs needed to the ship. You shall not be harmed, so long as you do not attempt to harm those on board. We will bring you to Booty Bay and have your father bring the money and retrieve you.”

Jaina stared at her incredulously, her mouth agape slightly and her eyes unblinking for several moments as she took in what the captain had just said. “And… it didn’t occur to you that this would put a _bigger_ target on your back?”

“Your brat of a brother was not meant to escape,” the woman growled, sitting forward. “That would have bought us some time, but _someone_ just had to save him.”

Jaina, unable to help herself, snorted, laughing a bit after she did. “Tides,” she gasped. “This is unbelievable. You’re a moron.”

The elf seemed unamused, she frowned a bit in distaste. “Laugh as much as you want, but you seem to forget who has whom in captivity.” That seemed to quiet the human down. “You will be staying aboard the ship until we bring you to our base, where we will summon your father to bring your ransom. How enjoyable this trip is for you will depend entirely upon how good of a prisoner you’re willing to be. Elara and Azarea-” she motioned to the spellbreakers behind Jaina- “will be by your side day and night and the rest of the crew has been alerted to keep an eye on you.”

“May I ask, Sylvanas,” Nathanos cut in, stepping forward just a bit. Jaina felt her heart froze as she looked at the elf, her eyes wide, though she did not seem to notice her expression. “What the Lady’s punishment should be, should she act up?”

Sylvanas smirked and turned her attention back to Jaina. “I’m sure any bruises will heal by the time the Lord Admiral arrives with the ransom.” She noticed after a moment how wide Jaina’s eyes had grown, and raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Sylvanas… Windrunner,” she pieced together, finally realizing where she had heard the name before. “The Banshee Queen of the Sea is Sylvanas Wind- I _knew_ your surname sounded familiar!”

Sylvanas stared at her. “And?”

“You know my boyfriend.” Jaina sat upright, an almost smug aura around her. She wasn’t entirely sure how to use the information that she had, but she was certain that it would help her for as long as they managed to keep her on board.

“You’ll have to elaborate. I’ve killed many boyfriends in my time.”

“Try as you may, you didn’t get a chance to kill him. Arthas Menethil.” The air in the room almost seemed to grow colder, and Jaina could even see Nathanos and the spellbreakers stiffen from the corner of her eye. She pursed her lips, absolutely refusing to back down, even as Sylvanas’s eyes glinted in anger. “He, uh…” She cleared her throat and sat even straighter. “He told me what happened.”

“And what did he say?” Sylvanas’s voice was sickeningly sweet, making Jaina almost cringe at her tone. 

“That, um…” Tides curse her tongue so she may stop digging herself a deeper hole. She’d forgotten for a moment that she was in the audience of the Banshee Queen of the Sea and the crew of _The Banshee’s Wail_ , a threat so menacing that several kingdoms had gone as far as to send parts of their precious navies, that could be assisting on the orc front, to find and kill her. Her ship had single handedly destroyed multiple port towns, leaving naught more than ashes and the memories of those who had managed to survive the attacks. What was to stop the woman from becoming bored or annoyed with Jaina’s presence and adding her body to the dozens already slaughtered?

The ransom, she reminded herself, and took a deep breath to ground her anxieties. Naturally, she would tread lightly, and not treat Sylvanas with anything less than cautious respect, if veiled with disdain. That would mean, of course, softening Arthas’s story just a bit. Another breath to steady herself, and _don’t you dare blush at the attention on you… damn it_ , she thought, having realized how long she’d been silent. “That you were… rightfully upset by the deaths of your rangers,” she finally spat out. 

“Rightfully upset,” Sylvanas repeated, an arched eyebrow raised as she smirked in what seemed to be amusement. “How kind of him to say. I’m sure that is not at all influenced by your quite obvious fear right now.” The flush on Jaina’s cheeks only darkened and Sylvanas’s smirk grew. How satisfying it was to fluster the girl, though it wasn’t a terribly trying feat. 

Sylvanas was well aware that she had not been fully in the right when it came to her situation with Arthas, and yet a part of her still longed to make the man pay for the devastation that he had caused. She knew that a good portion of her crew felt the same way, and some, such as Cesalia, even wished to wreak more havoc than Sylvanas herself. So perhaps, she thought, this would be a good chance for her to toy with the man more. It wasn’t along the lines of killing him, though she certainly was not above the thought, but simply… kicking him while he was down.

How fun it may be for Arthas to desperately seek the return of his beloved, only to find her enamoured with the woman he’d screwed over.

And it certainly would not hurt, as the Lord Admiral would be… less likely to harm her, should his daughter be distraught if he did. Her ears perked up gleefully with this new idea, which her spellbreakers and Nathanos clearly noticed, Sylvans stood up and motioned for Jaina to follow suit. “Allow me to show you to your quarters, Lady Proudmoore.”

-

After being shown her room, which was really nothing more than a rather meager cot and a stool, Sylvanas had shown her around the rest of the ship. Or, at least, where she was allowed on the ship, which was very limited. She could, naturally, go anywhere she wished topside, as well as her quarters and the head. Her interaction with any other lower parts of the galleon was limited, though, and no matter where she was, Jaina had to have one of the two spellbreakers on board with her at all times. Azarea had been the one she’d encountered on her now sunken ship, and Jaina quickly found herself hoping that she didn’t spend much time with her. She was certainly enthusiastic about the prospect of killing someone, and seemed almost disappointed that she hadn’t been able to get a single hit on either one of Jaina’s guards. 

That comment had earned her a sharp yank on the ear, much to Jaina’s pleasure, from the other spellbreaker on board. Her name was Elara, and it was incredibly obvious within a few seconds of meeting her that she was not one to talk too much. She seemed very stern, with her posture rigid, and Jaina wondered how much she would be able to get out of her when they were alone. 

The rest of the crew was just as peculiar, though it was hard for Jaina to remember every name and face she was introduced to in the short time. The goblin she had seen walking around half naked was named Ciarci, and she was practically drooling over her Voidwalker when Sylvanas had interrupted her to introduce Jaina. A priest, Aevira, who seemed completely uninterested in her while her younger sister, a ranger named Marie, was over the moon at the prospect of learning more about sailing. A few other rangers, two of whom were dating, though Jaina could not find it in herself to remember all of their names.

Perhaps in time. 

They ended the tour next to the captain’s quarters, which were unsurprisingly right beside Jaina’s own. She held her tongue to avoid saying as much, wanting to get a feeling of how many biting remarks Sylvanas was willing to talk before she dished out any punishment. And, naturally, Jaina’s first day aboard likely wasn’t the best time to test such limits. 

Sylvanas turned to her and though through her posture she looked as though she was attending a quite formal meeting, she almost sounded like a child when she asked, “So, what do you think?”

“The crew seems… nice,” Jaina said, unsure if _nice_ was the word to describe the people who had kidnapped her, attempted to kidnap her brother, killed her guards, and left her ship in ruin. “The ship is very well taken care of. May I make some constructive criticism?” 

Sylvanas arched an eyebrow, looking almost intrigued. “I suppose.”

Much to the very obvious discomfort of Elara and Azarea, who had been following the captain and her captive around, Jaina took a step forward so she and Sylvanas were only inches apart. She had to look up just a bit at the high elf, but still did not falter, not allowing a few inches of height to have any effect on her. “Let me off of this _damned_ ship,” she sneered, and quickly attempted to cast a Freeze spell so she could make a run for it. Within half a second of feeling the pull of arcane energy, however, both of the spellbreakers hurried forward and struck her on either side, causing her knees to buckle in pain. Sylvanas easily caught her and propped her upright before shooting Azarea a grin.

“And you thought she’d be boring.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short and dull chapter. I promise it'll pick up from here on out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to szept and Katzenjammers for beta reading!
> 
> Follow my tumblr: jaina-bimoore

“Put on some clothes.” 

Sylvanas’s ears flattened against her skull and she had to hold back a scowl as she turned to face the source of the squeaky voice. Ciarci, modestly dressed as ever, stared up at her with purple eyes full of exasperation. “You’re one to talk,” Sylvanas responded, adjusting the tight sleeves of her shirt so they would better show her slim yet defined arms that she had perfected after centuries of archery and climbing trees. She knew from past experiences that they were good features to show off to women, especially those who were not rangers themselves.

Ciarci snorted unceremoniously, stretching out further in her demon’s arms. Sylvanas was never able to tell what thoughts the Voidwalker had - if any at all - though he never seemed terribly pleased with being used as the warlock’s primary mode of transportation. “It’s my job to seduce and dominate my demons-” the first part was almost certainly a lie, but Sylvanas knew next to nothing about how warlocks obtained their magics, so she did not object “-and it’s your job to captain the ship and shoot your little arrows, not woo our latest captive. I mean, think of the _money_ , Sylvie. This girl is worth _nothing_ if you’re too horny to even demand the ransom for her in the first place!” 

Sylvanas shook her head a little bit, resisting the urge to roll her eyes as she looked down at the little warlock. “Tease as you will, but unlike my dear sisters, I’ve never been terribly attracted to humans. Their ears are pitifully small.” Ciarci nodded her agreement. “This seduction is merely for personal vindication. We get the money we need, release the girl, and then I have the immense satisfaction of knowing that Arthas will never be able to please his lover the way I did.”

“And that last part is necessary?”

“Absolutely.”

Ciarci stared at her for a moment, her expression nearly blank though her ears perked up the slightest bit in amusement. Sylvanas simply met her eyes, not willing to back down from this sudden stare-off. “Fine,” the warlock finally relented, still eyeing Sylvanas warily. “But I was promised a fine-ass cut of this pay, and if I don’t see it-”

“You will see the money,” Sylvanas interrupted, not wanting to listen to whatever depraved threat the warlock had certainly thought up. “I feel no such attraction to the Lady Proudmoore, I assure you. I simply must act it if I am to bed her.” Ciarci scoffed at her phrasing, and Sylvanas swore that she could even see a tinge of disdain in her Voidwalker’s colorless eyes. 

“I still don’t see why you need payback on Arthas though. Didn’t you already admit that you know you screwed up?”

“I made a mistake,” Sylvanas spat, tensing up as she was reminded of the situation. “I am well aware of that. However, I fail to see why my… fault of judgement was to be so heavily punished while his was not. I plan not on killing the man, as that would only further complicate the matter, but simply making his life more difficult.” Without allowing the goblin or her demon to respond, Sylvanas walked past them, making her way out to the deck. She could hear Ciarci following behind her, still carried by that terribly off-putting Voidwalker. “And next time you need to bother me in my personal quarters, knock first.”

“Well _sorry_ , your Highness, I thought that alerting you about the fire on the main deck was a little more important than politeness.”

Sylvanas stopped abruptly in her spot, pursing her lips as she spun around to glare down at the goblin who had almost run into her. “The _fire_?”

“I got distracted!” Ciarci sat up, reaching a hand out to poke at Sylvanas’s arms. She was quickly swatted away. “I mean, _damn_ , who wouldn’t?”

-

By the time Sylvanas had hurried out to the deck, it seemed like the fire had been taken care of. Some of her crew had gathered around a steaming part of the deck, a few half-empty buckets astray around where they stood. Ansa and Pyria, hand in hand as always, looked up simultaneously as the Banshee Queen approached. The rest of the crew followed suit, conversations quickly dwindling down to nothing as Sylvanas eyed the burnt wood.

“I apologize for my tardiness,” Sylvanas announced, gathering the crew’s attention. She resisted the urge to look at Jaina just to see if the girl was eyeing her arms and bare midriff. “Had I been properly alerted about a fire on the deck, I would have arrived earlier.” She shot a glare to Ciarci, who simply grinned back up at her.

Damn that warlock. And damn the fact that they needed to keep her around.

“We were able to take care of it,” Ansa assured her, her voice soft as ever. “No freshwater was wasted in the process.”

Pyria nodded on her girlfriend’s right, drawing Sylvanas’s attention. “Turns out the daughter of the Lord Admiral  knows a thing or two about how to put out boat fires. Who would’ve thought?”

Sylvanas raised an eyebrow and glanced over to Jaina, who had indeed been focusing on her arms. She blinked and snapped out of it once the crew’s attention was on her, and simply nodded in confirmation. “And what, pray tell,” Sylvanas asked, looking back to Ansa and Pyria, “was the cause of this fire?” Marie, standing on Pyria’s other side, snorted and was quickly elbowed by her friend. “ _What_?”

The blonde ranger cleared her throat, standing up a bit straighter. She glanced to Aevira, who merely shook her head without meeting her sister’s eyes. She had a look only an exhausted older sister could have, one that Sylvanas knew too well from both herself and Alleria. “Well, uh, Pyria and I wanted to show Jaina how to do flaming shots.”

Sylvanas’s eyes darted to find the position of the sun in the sky before she looked back at the two most problematic members of her crew. “It is ten-thirty in the morning.”

“Never too early for a little fun,” Pyria said with a shrug. 

Sylvanas glanced to Ansa and Aevira in turn, both of whom stood up the slightest bit straighter as her eyes fell upon them. “Keep these two in check,” she said, waving her hand in dismissal. “Their punishment for now may be bathroom cleaning duty, but I will not be so lenient in the future.”

“Truly the merciless Banshee Queen of the Seas,” Pyria muttered in annoyance, knowing that Sylvanas loved her too much to be any bit upset by her slight. She walked off with Ansa, who whispered something to make her laugh.

Everyone aside from Jaina and Elara, who had been the spellbreaker assigned to watch her for this fifteen-hour shift, quickly returned to whatever they had been doing before the fire broke out. Multiple crew members quickly went beneath the deck while a few others cleaned up the mess that had been left behind from the shenanigans of the rangers. Jaina stood still, simply watching as everyone worked. “And how has this been?” Sylvanas asked Elara, who was still standing firmly on guard beside the captive mage.

“Frankly, she was a bit of a nuisance.” Elara glanced to Jaina, who shifted her attention from watching the crew onto the conversation beside her. “Kept trying to use her magic. Even had to keep her from jumping off the ship a few times. Seems to have calmed down now, since she started hanging out with Laristra’s birds.” 

“ _Kim’jael_ ,” Sylvanas sneered, sparing a glance to Jaina. The girl simply blinked back at her, clearly unknowing of what Sylvanas had just called her. Elara, being a high elf herself, was not nearly as clueless, and had to force back a smile. “So you’re bored, is that the issue?”

“Partially,” Jaina responded as she crossed her arms. “My books sank with my ship and I’m not allowed to use my magic. Even a simple Blink spell-” she tried to cast, but Elara delivered a quick, decisive blow to her body, causing her to fall on her knees to the deck below her “-isn’t allowed,” she grunted, forcing herself to stand upright again. Sylvanas simply glanced at her without amusement before turning her gaze back to Elara. 

“Lady Eversorrow, I assume that should our captive succeed in jumping overboard, you would follow?” Elara’s simple, resolute nod gave Sylvanas the answer she needed, and she looked to Jaina once again. “I implore you, Lady Proudmoore, to find better ways to make use of your time. For the sake of us all.”

Jaina’s jaw clenched without her noticing as she simply stared at Sylvanas in turn. She had only been aboard the ship six days and, despite her love for sailing, had already found herself bored of exploring the large ship. She’d scarcely been on a galleon prior to this week and would have once jumped at the opportunity to be aboard _The Banshee’s Wail_ herself, if only just to see how the infamous pirate queen lived. Now she only wanted off, and the fact that she was being held captive rather than being a welcome guest was only a part of it. 

“What else am I to do?” She practically begged. “You’ve taken my books, and my magic, and-” She cut herself off, suddenly, as Sylvanas took her hand.

“I’m sure you’ll find _something_ to do, Lady Proudmoore,” she assured her, and pressed a soft kiss to her hand. “Unless, of course, you _want_ for me to inflict the punishment I spoke of last week. _Belono sil’aru rea elu’meniel mal alann_.” With that, the captain stood straight again, and strode to the other side of the deck to direct a few workers.

Jaina simply stared after her, her mouth agape in surprise and an obvious blush coating her cheeks. Refusing to acknowledge the offer of punishment, she instead focused on attempting to translate the Thalassian that Sylvanas had murmured. With her very little formal training, however, she really could only make out the basic word ‘and’, or ‘rea’. Everything else was a mystery, and she glanced briefly to Elara, trying to discern any context clues from the elf. As always, though, she stayed quiet and still. 

“Fine,” she muttered to herself, though the slight flick of Elara’s ear indicated that she’d heard Jaina’s mutter as well. If Sylvanas so desperately wanted for her to find something to do that did not require her now waterlogged books or the use of her magic, then she would have to make do with the materials she did have. _Perhaps_ , Jaina thought, glancing around the busy deck as she did, _I can use this… liking that she has taken to me to my advantage._  

She wasn’t entirely sure why Sylvanas had taken to being so flirtatious as of late, but she hardly cared. It worked for her benefit either way. They likely had quite a bit of time on the seas before they would arrive in Booty Bay, and that gave Jaina plenty of time to gain Sylvanas’s trust. Perhaps, then, if she was able to get the elf to fully trust her, she would have an opportunity to betray her. To lure her off, so they would be alone… Or perhaps she could find a way to implement her father into this plan… Jaina wasn’t entirely sure yet, but now that the seed of an idea had been planted in her mind, she finally knew how she would kill her time on this damned ship.

Archie bumped his head against the back of Jaina’s leg, drawing her attention down to the hound instead of thinking of how to get Sylvanas to trust her further. Nathanos stood beside him and shot Jaina a brief glare before snapping his fingers. “Archie. Leave her be.”

And, of course, gaining Sylvanas’s trust would only work if she were to gain the trust of the rest of her crew as well. Jaina scratched behind Archie’s ear, surprised at how quickly the enormous Mastiff let down his guard and leaned into her touch. With a grin, Jaina got on her knees, allowing herself to be pushed over as Archie licked her face.

“Stop it!” Nathanos took a step forward, though that did naught more than encourage Furst to run over to the girl as well, seemingly in the hopes of getting the same treatment his brother was getting. Jaina was more than happy to pet him as well, accepting the licks from both of the hounds.

Though perhaps the first mate wouldn’t be so easily won over.

“It’s okay, Nathanos,” she said, looking up at him with a grin. Both dogs licked her cheeks at once, which seemed to only agitate him further. “They like me!”

“They are not pets, they are guard dogs!” Nathanos stepped forward to tug the both of them back by the scruffs of their necks, though the clamor drew Sylvanas’s attention from where she was speaking to one of the rangers that Jaina had not yet been acquainted with. She raised an eyebrow and made her way over to the two, as Nathanos attempted to get his hounds away from Jaina as she continued to scratch them.

“Stop it, I just want to pet them!”

“You will do no such th-”

“Enough.” Sylvanas sighed, sounding more tired than Jaina had heard her so far on their trip. “Nathanos, your mutts do nothing more than laze around and beg for food when we’re not fighting. Frankly, if the Lady Proudmoore wants to play with them, that is far more helpful to us than entertaining their delusions that they’re starved. It will also be helpful to us to keep Proudmoore occupied. She seems to have been bored recently, and we have a long few months ahead if that remains the case.”

Nathanos huffed and shot a brief glare down to Jaina before releasing his dogs. “Very well.”

“Few months?” Jaina frowned, a sight that almost amused Sylvanas as Furst and Archie continued to climb over her and lick her cheeks. “I thought you said we were going to your base in Booty Bay. That shouldn’t take more than a few weeks.”

“You mean the route that everyone takes, that goes alongside land for a good portion of it? No, _kim’jael_ , that leaves us far too open for attack. We will be taking a longer, but far safer, journey.” At Jaina’s groan in response, Sylvanas knelt beside her and cupped her cheek. “Worry not. I will ensure that our trek is _far_ from dull.”

-

“What do you _mean_ they’re not going to help us?!” Katherine’s shrill shriek echoed throughout the hallways of Proudmoore Keep, alerting her husband and son as to where she was. The two, having been speaking privately in Daelin’s study, quickly rushed to the chair where the poor woman had been sat, as to avoid her collapsing. Tandred stayed silent, though the deep worry in his eyes betrayed the strong guise he’d taken. 

Katherine looked up to Daelin, the tears that had filled her eyes already flooding her face. “The Alliance-” she sneered as she said the word “-is refusing to send any help to find Jaina. They’re calling this an ‘internal matter’, and are more focused on the orc and troll threats.” She sobbed again, once, both in anguish and anger. Tandred hesitated before taking a step towards her, and she responded by sweeping him up in her arms and hugging him close. Her tears were mopped up by his hair, but he dared not complain. 

Daelin stayed silent for what seemed like ages as he stared forward at the bare wall. Anyone who did not know him as well as his family would think that he hardly cared, but his wife and youngest son were easily able to tell that he was deep in thought. They stayed silent as well, the only noises coming from Katherine’s occasional sniffing, as he took his time to think. After at least a solid minute, he spoke. “We don’t know where _The Banshee’s Wail_ could be at this point, and too many of our troops are stationed across the kingdoms of Lordaeron and Stormwind to send out a vast fleet.” Katherine sniffed again. “The Banshee Queen, however, is very well known. You’re sure it was her ship?” He glanced to Tandred.

The boy nodded, rubbing his flushed nose. “I am. I ‘member seeing it, plus Jaina said it when they attacked.” She’d also said a few bad words, but Tandred chose to leave that part out. Telling on his sister did not seem like the best idea, given the situation.

“Very good.” Daelin ran a hand through his son’s hair, which almost seemed to calm Katherine down as much as it did Tandred. “Whoever the Banshee is, she is wanted in multiple nations across these continents. And if the Alliance does not assist us with, at the bare minimum, posting Wanted signs-” he spoke now to the courier, who stiffened at the firm tone “-then I see no reason for Kul Tiran troops to help on their front.”

The courier nodded rigidly and hurried to Boralus’s portal room to return to Lordaeron. 

-

It took just under three hours for King Terenas to greenlight their idea, and Wanted posters for the Banshee Queen, as well as for Jaina, were quickly dispersed throughout the kingdoms. Daelin made sure to start posting some of his own throughout Kul Tiras before then, and Freehold was one of the first places outside of Boralus he traveled to. The city had long been a place of refuge for pirates, and the taverns were crowded even when he went midday. He hardly cared for any looks he received from the pirates and corsairs as he slapped down stacks upon stacks of the posters on the bar of every tavern he entered.

Genn Greymane didn’t bother with any such glare as he took a large swig of what was likely his fourth ale of the day. He slammed the half-empty glass down on the counter, watching as some of the liquor spilled and joined the puddle that had already formed on the dark wood. The bartender threw him a glare, which he returned in kind. “There a problem?”

“Aye, keep yer ale off me counter. This’s fine wood ye’r ruining.” The dwarven barkeep lifted the glass and wiped the counter beneath it before setting it back down. “Keep mopin’ around and I’ll hafta kick ye out.”

“Do it,” Genn challenged, snatching the glass from the counter before taking another long drink. “There are still six bars in this shit town that I haven’t been banned from, and hundreds of other shit towns with dozens of other bars to get banned from. I’ll drink myself to death far before that.”

“Tides,” the barkeep muttered, absentmindedly wiping down the other parts of the bar. He made his way to the large stack of papers, of which only a few had been taken, and pushed them closer to Genn so he could clean that part of the bar. “Get yer shit together.”

Genn ignored his words as he grabbed one of the papers, looking over the details. Jaina Proudmoore had been kidnapped, but he had to think for a moment before he remembered who the hell that even was. From House Proudmoore, right? The daughter of that sea guy? The one who was sailing?

Fuck if he knew.

He set the paper aside and took a final swig from the glass before noticing that other sheets in the stack were different from the one he’d just grabbed. Curious, Genn picked up another sheet and blanched as he read the title.

**WANTED: THE BANSHEE QUEEN AND THE CREW OF** **_THE BANSHEE’S WAIL_ **

It was like the Light itself had shined down a beacon of hope upon Genn’s life. He immediately set aside the glass and slapped down a sack of gold pieces, uncaring that the amount was likely double what he had to pay. The bartender deserved it for putting up with his shit. Feeling almost sober, Genn took the page that detailed the Banshee Queen’s details, leaving behind the one begging for Jaina Proudmoore back.

He cared little for that girl.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Braz for betaing!
> 
> I posted a new fic called Fragile. Check it out!

_September Fifth_

_My Lady Garidel Dewbeam,_

_Though I suspect that this newest and impetuous plan will already be in effect by the time this message is delivered, I thought it wise to warn you of the dangers of what is to come regardless._

_Sylvanas has chosen a truly reckless path. Though we have seen these behaviors from her in the past -- as I recall, you did end up with a bruise or two after holding her back from attacking Arthas further -- this scheme is little more than a suicide mission._

_The Lady Jaina Proudmoore and the Lord Tandred Proudmoore -- the children of the Lord Admiral of Kul Tiras, Daelin Proudmoore -- are to set sail from their home in Boralus to Dalaran, though their ship is likely to land on a southern beach of Lordaeron. The Banshee Queen, in her vast wisdom, has resolved that we are to kidnap the siblings and hold them hostage. The ransom for the both of them will be set at five million pieces of gold._

_Perhaps in another world, this proposal would prove profitable. In the world you, I, and every other sane person live in, it is costly. The nation of Kul Tiras is well-known for their substantial and powerful navy, and though I believe that a great deal of it has been occupied in assisting the kingdoms of Lordaeron, Stromguard, and Stormwind with the orc and troll threats, the Lord Admiral would be foolish not to have parts of his navy stay home where they can protect the royal family. Surely he will send them at once to find his missing children._

_We already have a target on our backs, and I fear that I may not return to Booty Bay. Now is the time to act. We have spoken formerly about coming into contact with Quel’thalas and Prince Sunstrider once more, and perhaps we have put off our rebellion for too long. No longer shall we wait and allow Sylvanas to continue her greed-filled quests. Do take it upon yourself to find out how we may yet honorably return to Quel’thalas. And should I not return, do so for yourself._

_The Banshee Queen has ordered that you prepare the quarters for the captives. Assure that in two months’ time, our pantries are well stocked with food and the children have a comfortable space to rest. I was informed that the Lady Jaina Proudmoore practices the magical arts, and though Elera and Azarea are capable spellbreakers, quarters for the Lady that are resistant to her magical abilities would be of use. Regardless of the time that we approach the city, we will enter in the night, and I will send my pigeon once more with a message announcing our arrival. Then is when we will escort the children into their quarters._

_Do with this what you will. Should you be unsuccessful in contacting Prince Sunstrider, then I suggest we do as Sylvanas orders. Our deaths would be likely should we follow her lead and certain if we stray from it._

_I have been speaking with Marie Lialen recently, as I do believe that she has taken to me. I am rather fond of her in turn, though I am unsure whether I return her romantic interests. Regardless, anyone joining us in our attempts to return home is a welcome addition, and I will continue befriending her in the hopes that she will hear me out. Perhaps we may convince her sister Aevira to join us as well._

_Please keep an eye out for a second pigeon within the coming weeks and do note that this letter was first sent out on the fifth of September. Expect us, then, mid to late November._

_By the light of the sun,_

_Laristra Freesky_

Though Laristra’s message had come the previous night, Garidel had only now laid eyes on it when the sun rose. _September fifth_ , she thought as she fed the letter to the roaring hearth. Today was October thirteenth, meaning she could expect the ship’s arrival in the next four to six weeks. 

That was, of course, so long as the Kul Tiran navy had not already caught up to their ship and slaughtered them for the kidnapping. She nearly shuddered at the thought. Laristra was right; this newest idea of Sylvanas’s was absolutely a suicide mission. 

How in the world would she go about communicating with Prince Sunstrider, though? Both she and Laristra had been outcasted the moment they had chosen originally to side with Sylvanas, so there was no possible way she herself would make it all the way to Kael’thas before being stopped and, at the very least, kicked back out of Quel’thalas. Sending a messenger bird was her best bet, though even that came with some risks and she would likely have to track down a mage to assist her in assuring that the pigeon knew exactly where to go. 

Perhaps she would have to draft a letter and worry about the sending of it another day. _At least_ , she thought, _I am not on the ship. Dealing with Sylvanas’s wrath must be far harder than working out how to stop it from afar. Who knows what sort of issues Laristra is facing at this very moment?_

-

“Where’s that other pesky pigeon of yours?” 

Laristra felt her lip curl up into an unwilling sneer at Nathanos’s low, yet nevertheless grating voice. Without turning her head to address him as she tended to her remaining two birds, she responded. “Do you not recall? Lady Windrunner ordered I contact Garidel to inform her of our plans to kidnap the Proudmoore children. We need to be ready in Booty Bay to hold them hostage and hold them for ransom, after all.”

“Hm,” came the response from behind her, and Laristra thought it best to not reply. She’d never been terribly fond of Nathanos Marris, even back when he had first joined their ranks, and his blind devotion to Sylvanas had only fueled her abhorrence toward the man. If he was at all smart enough to see the flaws in Sylvanas’s plan, which, frankly, Laristra very much doubted, he still enabled her reckless behaviors. “How do you know for sure the bird arrived? Those… creatures can be very unreliable.”

And he hated her birds. Yet another incentive for Laristra being absolutely unable to stand him, though it was admittedly less rational than her other reasons. Allowing herself a moment to cool down before she responded, Laristra opened her parrot’s cage and allowed it to perch on her shoulder before she turned to face the man. He immediately glared at Bandit, who had taken to dismantling the intricate updo of Laristra’s dark hair that had taken her at least a half hour to put together, before looking back at her. “Do you have a better method, Marris? As I recall, it was the Banshee Queen herself who ordered for my bird to be sent, so unless you would like to talk directly to her about how you are doubting her orders…”

Nathanos huffed a sigh. “I am not doubting her orders, I am simply doubting such a dull creature’s abilities to fulfill them. The fact that these beings have somehow succeeded in the past does not indicate future su-”

“Nathanos is an asshole!” Bandit chirped, cutting off the man as he spoke. He grew beet red in the face and Laristra did not attempt to hide her joyful grin. 

“I wonder who could have taught him that,” she said, well aware of the fact that if Nathanos were to complain about this to Sylvanas, she would likely just find it humorous. He almost certainly knew that as well as he sputtered, though Laristra wasn’t fully able to enjoy his misery as Jaina walked into her room as well. Azarea stalked a few paces behind her and stopped as Jaina did. 

“Oh, um…” The mage glanced at Nathanos, who shot a glare back at her, before looking to Laristra. “I’m sorry if I’m interrupting something important.”

“You’re not, dear. I assure you, nothing involving Marris is important.” Yet another slight towards the man that Sylvanas would simply find amusing. “Did you wish to see Bandit again?”

Jaina nodded and Laristra stepped forward, moving the parrot perched on her shoulder over to Jaina’s. “Have him back to me by suppertime so I may feed him and put him to bed. And if you can, dear, keep him away from Nathanos.” She glanced past Jaina to the man who glowered at her. “He doesn’t trust him.”

-

Azarea stared up at the ceiling of Jaina’s room. Though she was well aware that her orders were to always have her eyes on the girl, she hadn’t gotten herself into too much trouble as of late, plus her elven heritage allowed her to feel the pull of the arcane everytime she attempted to cast a spell. As it was, she could feel the pulse of dark magic emanating from Ciarci’s room two floors below, so she wasn’t too worried about her ability to stop the talented, yet undertrained, mage.

While Azarea took up the entirety of her cot, Jaina sat on the ground and looked up from admiring Bandit’s brilliant colors. Doing so amused her for a little while, but she soon found herself bored at simply staring at a bird. She glanced to Azarea and sighed softly. “So tell me about yourself.”

Azarea blinked, looking away from the ceiling with a sniff as Jaina broke the lengthened silence that had coated the room. “About myself… What would you want to know?”

“I don’t know… Anything really. Your interests, why you decided to become a pirate, anything to kill time.” Jaina rolled from her back onto her side so she could look at where Azarea sat on the spare stool in her room. “I’m sure you _must_ have some interesting stories from your past.”

The elf’s dark eyebrows furrowed for a moment, deep in thought as she considered what stories she could tell the captive. Sylvanas had been very explicit in her warning to be appropriate, knowing well how enthusiastic Azarea could often get about her past kills. Still, there were no good appropriate stories, and Sylvanas wasn’t around… Certainly the captain wouldn’t mind if she settled for the most suitable inappropriate story she had. She sat forward and set her book to the side. “You can’t tell Sylvie I told you this.”

Her curiosity piqued, Jaina sat up with a grin. “Of course not.”

Cracking her knuckles, Azarea could feel a wicked grin split her face as well. “Okay, has anyone ever told you how we got this ship in the first place?”

“Ciarci said that you guys actually built it from the ground up, using any scrap wood and metal you could find.”

Azarea snorted. “Cute, but utterly unrealistic. Lemme tell you the _real_ story. So before we were exiled from Quel’thalas, we were this group of elite rangers and spellbreakers that took on missions across the seas to put an end to the troll threats.

“This one group of trolls was a division of the Amani tribe that our people fought a few thousand years ago, and they’d established this settlement pretty close to Quel’thalas. It was absolutely thriving. I mean, other trolls were starting to move to this area, it was that big. Which, of course, meant that they were a threat to our people.

“When we were still in good standing, we were sent out to fuck up these trolls. We messed ‘em up pretty bad, burnt most of the village and drove a good portion of them back south. Absolutely brutal, you shoulda been there. We didn’t get to finish the job, though, since we were called back to Quel’thalas to take on a different, more urgent troll threat in Stranglethorn. We left ‘em hit hard, but not down for the count yet.

“Hundred or so years pass, and we get exiled. And we’re all freaking out, ya know? We have nowhere left to go aside from Booty Bay, where we rented this one place since we went there so much. Marris sold his farm a while back and all of our relatives lived in Quel’thalas or Lordaeron. So we’re pretty much all thinking, “What the hell are we supposed to do now?”. So in case ya didn’t know, Sylvie is a total genius.”

“I’m sure,” Jaina said dryly, though she was so far amused by the story and absolutely entertained by the way Azarea flung her hands around wildly as she spoke.

“I mean, yeah, a little reckless, but high risk means high reward. That’s something I learned from the goblins.” Azarea pointed a finger gun to Jaina, who couldn’t help but giggle. “Anyways, she figures, we may not have our entire group, but we’re all strong and pretty well rounded. We’ve got Aevira, after all. So we attack this troll town and take us a ship.

“So we sneak in during the night and take out some guards without any trouble. And we see this beauty.” She knocked on the wall. “Elven build, surprisingly enough, and just fucking gorgeous. They clearly killed some of _our_ people to get this, so we’re gonna take her back.

“It looks quiet, so we kill a few more guards on the way to the ship and hop on board. Sylvie put Ansa, Pyria, and Cesalia in charge of watching out for any coming trolls while the rest of us work on hijacking the ship and getting her out into the open waters.

“Everything’s going pretty smooth, and we only have to kill a few more trolls that we find topside. Ship starts moving and we start scouting out the other areas to see what’s aboard and claim rooms and shit.

“All of a sudden, I hear this high pitched screaming. So I run to the hallway and I find Marie and Pyria, who are super freaked out. Marie thinks the scream is her sister’s, so we rush to the room Aevira claimed, but she’s perfectly fine by the time we get there. The screaming is still going on though, and then we hear barking and we realize, holy shit, it’s Nathanos.”

“Nathanos!?”

Azarea grinned, trying and failing to hold back laughter. It came out in spurts instead, until she gave in and laughed loudly. “I know. So we run to his quarters and it turns out, there are still like five trolls in there. His dogs are going apeshit and he’s just hacking and slashing the best he can with his knife. We cleaned ‘em out, and I even took some necklaces to keep as souvenirs.”

Jaina took a moment, hesitating before asking: “Could I see those?”

-

“What’s that smell?” They’d returned Bandit and simply getting close to Azarea’s room made Jaina’s nose wrinkle in disgust. She looked around for the source, but Azarea simply laughed and unlocked the door to her room.

A wave of nausea flooded Jaina as she took in the scent of the room. It absolutely _reeked_ , though she couldn’t quite discern what of. It was pristine, too, which absolutely threw her off as she quickly held her nose and prayed to the Light to simply kill her now before her senses were abused any further. The relief of death was not granted, however, and Jaina forced herself to step into the room after Azarea.

“Okay, I know it’s in here somewhere…” Azarea rummaged through the drawers of her desk, occasionally chucking aside random trinkets. Jaina, through her disgust, could not help but be amused. She was exactly the same way; her own room was very tidy and well-kept, but she could hardly open some of her desk drawers due to the sheer amount of things she kept within them. 

Finally, Azarea pulled out a quite large, ornate wooden box, and Jaina tried not to gag as the stench only grew stronger. She eyed the box suspiciously while Azarea opened it, and saw exactly _why_ it smelled so unbearable. Ears, teeth, fingers, and even an eyeball were all stored within the trunk, and Azarea did not hesitate to comb through them to find the necklaces that Jaina had requested to see. She held them up after a moment, admiring the carved wood. “Aren’t they neat?”

Despite the smell and the likely permanent bloodstains that adorned them, Jaina had to admit that they were quite lovely. Their savage nature aside, trolls were fine woodworkers and Jaina had always wanted to see an authentic neckpiece up close. She took it when it was offered to her, holding it up a little so she could see how it looked in the light coming in from the little window. She still had to squint, though, and Azarea sighed. “I guess you can use your magic to make some light. Better not tell anyone though.”

Eagerly, Jaina cast and brought forward a small glow of light. The hum of arcane seemed to draw Azarea closer to her, and the two sat side by side as Jaina took a careful look at the necklace.

“There you two are. I thought you were in Proudmo- Azarea!” Elara sputtered as she hurried forward, instantly cutting off Jaina’s magic. The mage yelped and dropped the necklaces, which landed back in the blood-stained box, as she opted instead to hold onto her side. 

“Okay,” Jaina gasped, watching as the glow of the light faded quickly. “I know it’s not what you’re trained to do, but could you _please_ try not to knock the air out of my lungs?”

Elara shrugged nonchalantly. “I know it is not what you’re trained to do, but could you please try not to use your magic?” She sheathed her sword once more before looking at Azarea. “And you.”

“Me?” Azarea grinned up at her from where she sat, shutting the box. Jaina’s gaze averted to her, now, and frowned a bit. Azarea looked smug and confident as ever, but a faint blush colored her cheeks and the tips of her ears, which stood almost entirely upright. Jaina tilted her head a bit, but it seemed as though Elara didn’t notice.

“You are not to allow the Lady Proudmoore to use her arcane. Consider this your warning before I alert Sylvanas.” She sighed. “It is my turn to watch over her.”

With that, Jaina got up and followed Elara out of the room.

-

Spending time with Elara, Jaina had quickly found, was far duller than Azarea. The elf hardly held conversation, almost certainly worried about revealing classified information to her hostage. They sat in silence, with Jaina staring at the ceiling from her cot as Elara flipped through a book quietly. She’d tried to visit Ciarci, but the goblin had simply insisted that she was busy with a “ritual” before hurriedly closing the door in Jaina’s face. She’d tried to nap as well, but it was midday and she simply could not sleep. She’d even gone as far as to hum and sing to herself in an attempt to create a new song, but Elara’s withering glare had quickly shut her up.

“Either I sing to pass the time or we talk.” Elara didn’t respond, seemingly absorbed in her book. Though tempted to use her magic to gain her attention, she remembered the promised punishment from the captain, and therefore refrained. Jaina huffed a sigh. “Tell me about your childhood,” she offered, and received no response in return. “What hobbies do you have?” 

“I read.”

“Okay… How did you all get the ship?” She knew the story, already, but was willing to listen again to get the elf to speak. 

“We bought it.” 

“What?” Oh, never mind that. At least she was speaking now, which was better than the treatment Jaina had gotten before. She decided to test the waters a little more, hoping for the best. “Why are you so mean to Azarea?”

“Enough.” Elara looked up from her book and Jaina blinked in surprise. Her blue eyes were striking, and now narrowed the slightest bit.

“What, do you not want to talk about that?” She tested, sitting upright so she could lean forward. She typically didn’t care for getting into the business of others, especially when _others_ meant a very stern high elf, but frankly, she had nothing better to do. Not only was everyone else on the ship busy with their own tasks, but Jaina also refused to simply sit in her thoughts. Every time she did, they drifted to Sylvanas, and she found that she couldn’t help but think about her and her insistent flirting. 

And she certainly did not want to think about the way her heart fluttered every time.

“I do not wish to speak about any personal aspects of my life,” Elara responded, keeping her gaze steady. Jaina, however, refused to back down. 

“No, you only stopped me when I mentioned Azarea. I bet you like her.” 

“Enough.”

“You do!” Jaina grinned, sitting back. “This is great news! I mean, she _clearly_ likes you. You saw the way she blushed when y-”

“Jaina.” Elara had never used her name before, and Jaina blinked. “Enough.”

“Fine,” she murmured, and laid back down.

-

“I will cut straight to the chase. Jaina has been kidnapped by the infamous Banshee Queen of the Seas. The crew of _The Banshee’s Wail_ almost took Tandred as well, but Jaina used the one portal that she can create each day to send him back to Boralus. Currently, we do not know where the ship is or what they plan on doing with Jaina, but Tandred did tell us that they did not attempt to kill either of them. They quite clearly are holding her for ransom.” Daelin sighed, clasping his hands together behind his back as he paced along the meeting room.

Arthas was rendered speechless, simply staring at the table in front of him. To his right sat his father, who had already received word, and Katherine sat with Tandred on the other side. Daelin had started pacing long ago, and Arthas looked ready to strangle the man.

“With all due respect, how can we trust the word of an eight year old? I would like to believe that Jaina is alive and well, but we simply don’t know that for a fact, given the destruction that the Banshee Queen has brought upon many smaller settlements in our kingdoms.”

“I’m nine,” Tandred piped up, having been quiet until then. Katherine looked like she was about to hush him, but he continued regardless. “And I know that she didn’t kill Jaina! They killed all of our guards but they didn’t shoot at me!”

Daelin held up his hand to silence his son. “Tandred is correct. The Banshee Queen is cunning, as she hasn’t yet been captured or killed by any of our kingdoms, and she likely knows that killing Jaina would be a fatal flaw. Holding her for ransom, however, when the vast majority of our navy is assisting with the Dark Portal…” 

Arthas absentmindedly nodded, having calmed down the slightest bit. “Very well then. I apologize, Tandred.” The boy gave him a thumbs up, earning a small smile from Arthas. “And what has Lordaeron done to assist?”

“We have sent couriers to post flyers, as far as our nation reaches. We are unable to provide military support, however, since _all_ of the forces that we can spare are fighting the orcs.” Terenas spoke now, regret paining his voice. “I wish we could do more, but-”

“It is understandable, King Menethil,” Daelin responded. “We are grateful for even the smallest bit of help.”

“It’s not enough,” Arthas insisted, standing up from his seat as well. Tandred looked up at him, blue eyes wide in fear. “If she is so cunning, then she knows how to evade Kul Tiran forces. And if you do not provide whatever sum of money she demands, Jaina will die.” Tandred gritted his teeth, refusing to allow his eyes to fill with tears. “I must go after her.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to brazenedMinstrel and Katzenjammers for beta reading!
> 
> I'm taking next week (8/1) off from posting, so the next chapter will be posted on 8/8.

“Sit down, Arthas, please.” King Terenas Menethil sighed, reaching over with his hand to tug on his son’s elbow. Arthas met his eyes, and the king could see more anger in them than he’d seen in his life. Arthas had always been a headstrong boy, a bit too much so for his liking, but the rage that filled his eyes shadowed the only other emotion he could find - desperation. No longing, no sorrow, and absolutely no sense of mercy. Arthas was smart and arrogant, and Terenas could see well that leaving to save Jaina would end only in him getting himself or Jaina killed. 

Quite possibly both.

Stubborn as he was, Arthas did not sit back down, but he also did not march out of the room and command Lordaeronian troops to aid him in his mission. Instead he simply quirked an eyebrow at his father. “Do you have another proposal?”

“There is not much else that can be done. King Wrynn needs all of the help that our troops can provide at the moment to take back the kingdom of Stormwind, especially as he now has an infant son. And need I remind you of why you returned to Lordaeron in the first place?”

Arthas huffed a sigh and sat back down in his seat, absolutely seething. “To request Uther’s aid,” he said, his voice considerably calmer. Out of the corner of his eye, Terenas could see Tandred relax. 

“Precisely. You hardly managed to survive by yourself in Hearthglen against the legions of undead, and you are an incredibly skilled paladin. Imagine how the citizens of Stratholme must feel. Your place is first and foremost by your people, and you and Uther are to go back to Stratholme and do what you must to aid them in this time of need. It is your duty as the future king.”

From the opposite side of the room, Daelin nodded. “I have every reason to believe Tandred when he says that the Banshee Queen has no intention on immediately harming Jaina. She almost certainly plans on holding her hostage to receive ransom money, and my family and I simply came to tell you because you’re important to her. We have no desire to ask the Alliance for any other resources, given how tied up all of yours are between the orcs and the recent rampage of scourge.” 

 _Spoken like a true Lord Admiral_ , Terenas thought, and briefly chastised himself for ever considering that Kul Tiras may withdraw from the Alliance simply because they could not afford to spare the resources to aid in the search for his daughter. Kul Tirans were a proud people, and finding Jaina was their first priority, but they were not so proud that they would make it everyone else’s. 

Arthas took a moment to think, which Terenas let him have. As his son weighed the words of he and Daelin, he turned to the Lord Admiral. “Have your troops had any luck?”

“Not yet,” Daelin said in response. “They have scoured the entirety of the western coast, but have been unable to find anything. It is suspected that the Banshee Queen either made her way to the east coast or is taking a much longer route to get to wherever she needs to be. It’s highly unlikely that she would go to Kalimdor, however, as it’s rather far, but somewhere we could easily get to make the trade for Jaina.” He sighed. “We hope to find her, of course, but if we’re unable to, then we will have no choice but to await the word of the Banshee.”

Terenas nodded, pursing his lips. “For what it’s worth, you have a smart boy. I’m sure he’s correct in his assumption of Jaina’s safety.” He could see the grin overtake Tandred’s face, and allowed a small smile on his own. 

“He is,” Arthas said, looking back up from where he’d been staring at the table. “Tandred is quite smart, and you’re correct, Father. I must attend to the needs of those in Stratholme. But if Jaina is not found by when I return-”

“Then you may go search for her,” Terenas finished, holding up a hand. “That, I will allow.”

With a curt nod, Arthas left the room, and Muradin entered as he had. He frowned, sparing a glance at everyone else in the room before his eyes locked on Terenas. “Is tha lad okay? I don’t think I’ve ever seen ‘im so upset.” 

“He’ll be fine,” Terenas assured the dwarf. As much as he knew his son, he could never understand the boy quite as well as his former mentor could, and he was sure that Muradin had seen the remnants of hostility that had endured in Arthas, even after he and Daelin had talked him down.

“I dunno,” the dwarf said. “‘E’s a good lad, but ‘e’s been so angry recently. Just makes ye wonder wha’s gotten into ‘im.”

-

It was Elara’s turn to watch her, but the elf had hardly said a word to her since last they spoke. Being with Azarea eased the awkwardness, but Jaina had still found herself making friends with other crew members simply to avoid whatever drama came along with her spellbreaker guards. 

At least, that’s what she told herself to rationalize being in Ciarci’s cabin. 

To be frank, Jaina really wasn’t sure what she was doing with the constantly half-dressed warlock. Laristra was busy as of late, and Azarea was only with her half the time. Nathanos only allowed her to play with Furst and Archie for so long before he stole them back, likely to simply allow them to laze around as Sylvanas claimed. So here she was. With the most… curious member of her group.

The most curious member who was, at the moment, giving quite the rant about a book that Jaina could hardly remember the title of. It had been amusing at first to see how her ears stood upright, acting much like those of the elves on the crew, and her pointed nose twitched every time she was particularly upset about something. Still, the rant had gone on for nearly half an hour now, and Jaina found herself simply watching the three glowing gems that surrounded Ciarci’s head instead. 

The goblin finally seemed to take notice, and lowered her raised hands. “Sorry. I just get very spirited when it comes to this series. I mean really, you write _such_ an amazing female character, yet the moment it’s convenient, you change her to be a villain? Makes no sense.”

“That’s understandable,” Jaina assured, sparing a glance to Elara. Though it was hard to tell from the rather stoic spellbreaker, she seemed to still be spacing out. Jaina was quite tempted to test her, to see if she could still tell the difference between her arcane magic and Ciarci’s dark arts when she was surrounded by the latter and seemingly spaced out, but resisted. It hurt to have her spells broken, and Ciarci didn’t seem like one who could keep her mouth shut. 

“So what’ve you been up to these past few weeks? Anything exciting?” Ciarci shelved the book she had been so up in arms about, having gotten it out briefly to read passages from it. Jaina simply shook her head in response. 

“I’ve made friends with all the animals on board, though that wasn’t terribly trying. The chef showed me how to properly grill fruit. Marie and Pyria keep insisting on showing me cool tricks they can do with their bows, but I’m kind of avoiding that,” she admitted. “After the whole deck fire thing, I really don’t know what else they have in store.”

Ciarci snorted. “Probably smart. I dunno how Aevira and Marie are sisters; they’re polar opposites.” She laid down on her stomach, stretching out on her cot. Jaina averted her eyes, avoiding seeing any more of the goblin than she already had. “Anything else interesting?”

“I mean, I’ve been kidnapped, so you’d think.” Jaina sighed. “But no. Sylvanas seems to have taken quite a liking to me though, which is a little odd. One moment she’s passive-aggressively threatening me and the next she’s hinting that she’d let me use my magic in the bedroom.”

Ciarci rolled onto her back, smirking, but didn’t say anything. 

“I never know quite how to react to it,” Jaina continued. “I can’t tell if she wants something or if she actually likes me.”

Lying came quite naturally to the warlock, as did causing drama, and Ciarci saw a good opportunity to do both while still more or less helping out Sylvanas with her seduction. She glanced over to Jaina, feigning a bored look. “What else could she possibly have to gain? Aside from your brother, for a higher ransom, but that’s not happening.” At the warning look she got, Ciarci held her hands up in mock surrender. “I’m just saying! She has you on very close lockdown-” she motioned to Elara “-and is still getting a fine cut of three million gold. I mean, it’s not the original five she thought, but it’s something. She’s at the top of the world right now; she has nothing else to gain. She just likes ya.”

“She likes me,” Jaina repeated, her demeanor shifting to something more serious. “And what would she have to gain from _that_? It’s not like she’s keeping me around for much longer.”

“Beats me. Talk to her yourself; I’m no elf expert. They’re weird creatures, I’ll tell ya that.” Elara shot Ciarci a glare, and the goblin simply replied with a grin. “That includes you, sweetie.”

-

Though it wasn’t even midday yet, the Salty Sailor Tavern’s bar was already overrun by goblin patrons shouting out orders and giving toasts. Genn sat back in the corner, simply watching the scene as he waited for his informant to arrive. He’d once thought the man untrustworthy; unable to decipher truth from lie, but had learned the hard way that he knew what he was doing. He was young but sharp and cunning, and seemed to have ways to get information that Genn knew he would never understand.

“Greymane.” Genn pulled his eyes away from watching the other customers and looked up at the young man who had approached his table. He held the flyer that Genn had lent him, though there were now hasty notes scribbled on the back and the information of the Banshee Queen’s appearance was circled. Just the sight of so much information made Genn sit up straighter, feeling far more optimistic than he had since his son’s passing.

“Mathias Shaw,” he greeted in turn, nodding to the seat across from him. Shaw sat and, despite Genn’s clear interest in the flyer, held out his hand. 

“The second half of my payment, as we discussed.” It was not a request, but a demand, and Genn had to stop himself from rolling his eyes as he shoved forward a small bag of coin. Without checking to see if the amount was correct, Shaw simply pocketed it, not diverting his striking green eyes from Genn. “Booty Bay residents really don’t like to talk about the Banshee.”

“Are you trying to tell me you found nothing?” Genn set his jaw. Obviously the flyer he’d given the man had plenty of scribbles on it, but who was to say that those would help him find the Banshee at all?

Mathias barked out a laugh, allowing himself to relax a bit in his chair. “At first. But I know my way around the town.” He slid the paper forward. “The address of her base is on there, as well as some more information about her. Her name is Sylvanas Windrunner and she was exiled from Quel’thalas after nearly costing the kingdom their relationship with Lordaeron.” Genn snatched the paper greedily, his eyes immediately seeking the address. Mathias hardly cared, and kept talking. “From what I could tell, her base is empty. She probably took a longer route here, if this is where she’s coming, to avoid the Kul Tiran navy.”

“And did you find anything on the girl she took?” Genn sounded less interested now, though the offer of a cash reward for the return of the girl was admittedly enticing. 

“Lady Jaina Proudmoore. She’s nineteen years old and the daughter of Lord Admiral Daelin Proudmoore. Blonde hair, blue eyes, fairly pale skin. She studies magic and has a nine year old brother, Tandred, who was on the ship when it was attacked. He managed to get away, but I didn’t find out how. The Lord Admiral is offering fifty-thousand gold pieces for Sylvanas, dead or alive, and one-hundred thousand for his daughter, alive only.” He paused, seemingly in hopes that Genn would find that amusing, but the older man didn’t bother taking his eyes off of the flyer. “My opinion? Go to her base and find what you can. I didn’t bother breaking in. Pirates like to trap their shit.” He shrugged and stood up, managing to slip away three gold pieces from Genn’s coat pocket to buy himself a beer before leaving Genn to his devices.

Genn hardly cared to wish him goodbye as he stood, leaving gold on the table for the waitress. Using the address written for him, he found the Banshee’s hideout within fifteen minutes, though it did take a bit of work. It seemed as though she didn’t like being in the center of the bustling city, and instead preferred to be on the outskirts, high up and watching the people below her. 

He dared not linger by the door, still, as the goblins were not a people well known for their discretion. If one were to see him, surely word would quickly spread and he wasn’t entirely sure what would happen. A few boxes sat nearby, and Genn stuffed the paper away in his coat pocket as he lugged them over to create a makeshift staircase. 

Once he was on the roof, Genn walked as quietly as he could across it until he reached the skylight. It was a narrow window, but not so much so that he wouldn’t be able to slip in, even in his worgen form. After being sure that no one was watching, Genn crouched, and let his forced contentment slip away. Over a year of hatred - both for himself and for the Banshee Queen - flooded his very being, making its way to his core. The rage and grief already there made room for this third feeling, and once Genn opened his eyes again, his skin was no longer visible, now covered by tufts of gray fur. Instead of a nose between his eyes, he now had a snout, and could very easily smell someone nearby. This was no goblin scent that he had already grown used to in the little time he’d spent in Booty Bay, but something else. 

Though his claws made it hard for him to fumble with the latch, Genn managed to swing it open, hardly caring for subtlety any longer. He jumped down into the room below, almost landing on top of a very frightened looking high elf. They stared at one another for a moment, both in shock, before Genn lunged at her. She managed to dive out of his way, but the papers she clung to were scattered across the floor as she fell. She scrambled to collect them, but Genn moved quickly and grabbed one of her ankles to pull her away from what he was sure was something incriminating that could be used against the Banshee Queen, and he knew that she was attempting to destroy it. With her free leg, she kicked at him, managing to hit his snout hard. 

“Shit!” Genn growled, dropping her ankle to instead hastily wipe the blood away. The woman scrambled to her feet but only managed to stay upright for a moment before Genn was back up. He pounced on her, knocking her down and immediately grabbing her neck. He hesitated to choke her, knowing that she could very well provide valuable information. Still, she scratched and clawed at his arm, managing to do naught more than make a few minor cuts that simply made Genn wince. He refused to let go of her though, even tightening his hold a little more as a warning until she’d calmed herself just a bit.

“Now,” he snarled, blood matting the fur that it dripped onto, “tell me all there is to know about the Banshee Queen and I may let you flee with your life.”

The elf laughed.

-

 _Talk to her yourself_. Ciarci’s words rang through Janna’s mind as she was out on the deck after supper. She knew that the goblin was right, that she needed to speak with Sylvanas instead of simply hoping that her crew had all the answers, but it was harder than it sounded.

And she couldn’t quite figure out why that was. Despite her earlier offer of punishment, Jaina knew that the elf wouldn’t dare hurt her. She likely would be more than happy to spend time with her as well, if her constant flirting was any indication. Tides, she hadn’t even made it five minutes into supper before Sylvanas had made a comment on her mouth. 

If she wasn’t afraid of the Banshee, then what possible reason could she have to not want to speak with her? She needed to gain her trust at some point throughout this voyage, and though she was getting on well with a good portion of her crew, she still had yet to fully gain Sylvanas’s trust. 

No more excuses, she decided, standing up straight so she no longer leaned against the side of the ship to look out to the waters. If she had no reason to not want to speak with the woman, then she would have to simply get over herself and do it. Elara looked away from her conversation with Azarea, who said something to make her smile before she quickly wiped it from her face and hurried to follow after Jaina. Jaina paid her no mind as she walked to Sylvanas’s cabin, opening the door without knocking. The elf looked up from her writing, an arched eyebrow raised. 

“A little rude, but I suppose I’ll allow it for my favorite prisoner.”

“Do you have any others?” Jaina asked as she took a seat across the desk from Sylvanas. 

“No, but that doesn’t make the position any less special.” After giving her a charming smile, Sylvanas waved away Elara. “I’m sure you can feel the tug of her arcane from the _other_ side of the door, Lady Eversorrow.” She didn’t take her eyes off of Jaina, simply relying on the sound of the door shutting for her cue to speak again. “What brings you here, Proudmoore?”

“Boredom,” she said, well aware that that answer was only half true. She sighed. “And curiosity.”

“ _Curiosity_ ,” Sylvanas repeated, tilting her head the slightest bit. “Do tell.”

“Ciarci says you have a crush on me.” Tides, could she have sounded any more like a twelve year old? Jaina nearly cringed at her own words but resisted the urge, not wanting to make herself look worse. Instead she raised her chin a little bit, as though refusing to back down. 

Sylvanas paused for a moment and blinked. “Did she?” She silently prayed to the Light to grant her the strength to _not_ go and strangle the small warlock at that very moment. “I see.”

“Do you realize that I’m your captive? And that my betrothed is the same man who you blame for the deaths of your rangers?”

Sylvanas stared at her for a moment, the gears in her head turning at twice the speed to make up for this situation. “Of course I do,” she finally said, now more determined than ever to end that miserable warlock. “I care not who your lover is,” she claimed, removing her feet from the desk and standing up. Jaina remained seated and looked up at her as the elf walked around the table. “Nor about our situation.” She knelt by the chair, now smirking. “If anything, it should be more motivation for us to enjoy the time we have with one another.” That wasn’t how she’d planned to go about this, but Ciarci had forced her hand and Sylvanas would be absolutely damned if she didn’t use the opportunity that had been presented to her to spit in Arthas’s face. The absolute _worst_ that could come of it would be Jaina rejecting her. She would still get the ransom money, regardless of how this personal situation played out.

Jaina was now the one left staring at the elf, her eyes wide. Tides, would it really be _this_ easy to gain Sylvanas’s trust? She was known to be so clever, a true menace on the seas, but perhaps that was all a ruse or the work of her crew. Perhaps the Banshee herself wasn’t all that smart.

Determined to not look _too_ enthusiastic, so she didn’t come off as suspicious, Jaina cautiously nodded. “I suppose I would have to get to know you a bit better first,” she said. “Nothing too personal, I won’t ask for you to divulge your deepest secrets, but I really can’t think of you in any sense other than my kidnapper at the moment.”

“Fully understandable,” Sylvanas quickly said, holding back a wide smile. She stood upright and offered her hand to the Lady Proudmoore. Once it was taken, she led her to her own room. Having abused her privileges as captain just a little bit, she’d managed to claim the largest cabin in the ship for herself. Not only did she have a rather large bed and her own private restroom, but it also allowed her to have multiple chairs comfortably tucked into the corner. 

With Elara now stationed outside of her room, Sylvanas seated Jaina and sauntered to her desk. She lifted the top off, propping it against the wall. Underneath was a small bar, containing a few very finely crafted wine glasses and some expensive bottles. They had to be at least three times the age of Jaina, who tried to get a decent look at them from where she sat as Sylvanas poured them both a glassful. 

The elf handed her a glass as she sat in the chair beside Jaina’s, sipping at her own drink. She seemed far more relaxed here than in her office space, Jaina noticed, and she hesitantly tried the wine as well. It was noticeably human-made, though she could not place whether it was from Lordaeron, Stromguard, or Stormwind, and the mage briefly wondered which town Sylvanas had stolen it from.

Sylvanas was the first to break the silence, though it took a moment as she allowed the aged wine’s taste to linger in her mouth. She glanced over to Jaina, watching her confusion. “Do you like it?”

“It’s good,” she said. “I do have to wonder where you acquired it, though, given the fact that the vast majority of your crew is of elven heritage.”

“We’re pirates, dear. I have no recollection of where exactly we picked up this specific wine, though it hardly matters. I care more for its taste and age than its origins.” With a smirk, the elf took another sip and savored the taste once more.

Jaina forced herself to hold back a smart retort, knowing well that it wouldn’t aid her in her attempt to gain the Banshee’s trust. “I suppose that’s true,” she finally said, and took the opportunity to change the subject. “What exactly about your interaction with Arthas made you decide that becoming a pirate, of all the possible courses of action, was the best one?”

“Simple zest for life,” was all Sylvanas said in reply, and Jaina practically snorted as she took another sip of the wine. “Did I ever tell you of how exactly I acquired this ship?”

“No, but-”

“Wonderful,” Sylvanas interrupted, and Jaina rolled her eyes. “As we were preparing to flee Quel’thalas, after my unfortunate attempt to kill the lowly prince, my crew and I came to the conclusion that it would take us far longer than a few short hours to leave the kingdom entirely. Those few hours were all that was granted to us, and Prince Sunstrider would not soon go back on his word. So instead of heading south, we simply stole a few rowboats and left from Silvermoon City’s meager docks.

“We sailed for a few days, surviving on naught more than apples and cheese, before coming across an island. To this day, we are still unable to agree on where this island was, let alone locate it once again, but we can all agree on the fact that we did find it. It was completely abandoned, yet abundant with wildlife and fruit trees filled to the brim that stretched out as far as the eye could see. And on top of it all: a lonely elven ship crashed not too far off of the coast.

“There was no one around to lay claim to this vessel so we spent a bit of time on the island collecting resources and fixing this beauty up. Once we were done, we set sail to Booty Bay and the rest is history.”

“History or fable? I’ve now heard three- no, four versions of how you got this ship!” Jaina set her glass down on the table before them. “Azarea claims that you stole it from a troll tribe, Elara claims you bought it, and Ciarci said that you built it.”

It took every bit of Sylvanas’s willpower not to be reduced to a puddle of laughter. As it were, she still snickered a bit, though hid it the best she could behind a wide grin. She took Jaina’s hand and pressed a kiss to it. “ _Belore_. May I tell you a secret, Lady Proudmoore?”

“I suppose.”

“None of those stories are true. Frankly,” she said, lowering her voice ever so slightly to avoid the disdain of the spellbreaker guarding her room, “I’m slightly surprised that even Elara fed you a false story. No, the true story is far more boring, but I do enjoy having false information spread far and wide over the true origin of my ship.”

“So… all of these stories are simply to mess with people?” Where Sylvanas would have expected scorn at the childish prank, Jaina instead laughed softly. “That’s actually pretty funny,” she admitted. “May I know the true story?”

“I’m afraid not, Proudmoore. You won’t be aboard forever, and I simply cannot afford the chance that the true, quite boring story may escape the walls of this ship. As it is, much of my crew that was not among the original bunch only knows the falsified tales.” 

“I suppose that’s understandable,” Jaina said, and picked up her glass once more to take a sip. Sylvanas followed suit, and the two sat in silence for a few moments, content to simply enjoy their beverages. This time, Jaina was the one to break the silence, albeit hesitantly. “What exactly is Elara’s… deal?”

Sylvanas smirked, looking over to Jaina with an amused gleam in her eyes. “Her deal?”

“Why is she so rude to Azarea one moment and then so friendly the next?” Jaina relaxed in her seat, something she hardly noticed herself doing but Sylvanas picked up on immediately. “Not long ago she was very upset with her over something mild, and then just today they were laughing and talking like normal.”

“Oh, she’s had a crush on Azarea for as long as I can remember,” Sylvanas said dismissively, waving the hand not holding her wine. “It’s requited, obviously, though neither of them have been able to admit it.”

Jaina scoffed. “But it’s so obvious! They just need to-”

“-get over themselves.” Sylvanas hadn’t meant to finish Jaina’s sentence so fluidly, but from the look on the girl’s face, it was very much to her advantage. She plucked the wine glass by its stem from her hand. “More wine, Lady Proudmoore?”

“Absolutely.”

-

“Tea?” Garidel offered, and Genn shook his head despite the rag he held to his nose. Even transforming back into a human hadn’t stopped the bleeding, and he was sure that his nose would be left with a massive bruise. It didn’t seem to be broken, however, which gave him a little bit of relief.

“No, thank you,” he said. “I’m not the biggest fan of leaves soaked in water.”

The elf laughed softly and poured herself a cup, leaving the kettle on the dinky stove. “Your loss.” She made her way out of the small kitchen and sat on the chair across from Genn’s, setting her tea on the table to allow it to cool for a moment before she drank. “You could have simply asked if you wanted information on Sylvanas, you know. Nearly scared me to death when I heard something on the roof.”

“I guess I got what I deserve, then. You have quite the kick.” Genn wiped his nose, hardly caring that he smeared blood over his mouth and cheek as he set the soaked rag to the side. “And I had no way of knowing that you’ve started a little mutiny against her.”

“The key word being a little.” Garidel waved her hand to cool her tea quicker. “It’s just me and a friend of mine, who is currently aboard _The Banshee’s Wail_ , though she is attempting to recruit a few others. Including the only healer on board.”

“I don’t care much for waiting on others to join. I intend on taking down the Banshee the moment I can, and the only thing stopping me from killing her this moment is that I don’t know where she is.”

“Nor do I. I’m frankly surprised you knew to come to Booty Bay in the first place.” Garidel took a sip of her tea after blowing on it. “It’s a bit out of the way.”

“I have connections here,” Genn said, wiping his bloodied nose again. “And what the hell do you mean, you don’t know where she is? Shouldn’t that be your job?”

“She’s taking a longer route to Booty Bay, likely to avoid the inevitable Kul Tiras search forces. I do have it on good authority that I will know when she arrives, however.” Garidel relaxed back in her seat. “I would advise you to not go out looking for her, but to rather wait until we know she has arrived."

“And then what?”

“Then-” Garidel grinned and took a sip of her tea, ignoring that it was still scalding hot “-you attack. Kill Sylvanas and whatever lackies you need to. Spare Laristra. Save Jaina. Then you can collect the money and Laristra and I will be in good standing with Quel’thalas once more.”


End file.
